The Herclux Combine
The Herclux Combine is an imperial theocracy controlling several sectors and numerous systems on the rimward arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, populated and controlled by the Herclux. Government *Long Name: Jin Medjai-za'jain Nebu-za Wadjet Shenu *Short Name: The Herclux Combine *Power: Great *Capital: Hercluxia Prime, Hercluxia System, Hercluxia Sector *Government: Imperial Theocracy *Head of State: Empress Procyon Balgarus *Legislative Body: The Council of Trade Regulation The Herclux government is a convenient mix of despotism and democracy. While the Empress/Emperor, by definition, holds all executive power, the Council of Trade Regulation, the economic regulatory body made up of the sector imperators of the Combine, determine economic policy. The government limits some actions of companies by using regulations to discourage monopolies and such. However, these regulations are often small in number. The third rail of the Herclux government, one that is not often spoke of, is the intelligencia-military complex. History A Survey of Post-Collapse Herclux History Ralph Jones, Phd., Xenobiological Sciences, J.D., L.L.M., Interstellar Economic and Military Law Introduction '' The name Herclux carries with it much weight in our galaxy. Of all the Great powers, the Herclux are perhaps both the most enigmatic and worrisome. There is no one word that could be used to describe the Herclux. Proud, ruthless, mysterious: all these describe the Herclux Combine throughout our brief documented history. The Herclux home world, Hercluxia Prime, orbits a star on the far side of the constellation Beta Lyrae. From there, the Combine reaches out in every direction, holding control over hundreds of star systems and ten sectors. The Herclux home world is much larger and hotter than earth. Nearly all of the planets inhabited by the Herclux, are uninhabitable by species that evolved on lower temperature planets. The average temperature on a Herclux world is 80 degrees Celsius. While beautiful, the planets are treacherously hostile and boast very few life forms. The only sentient race to arise from Hercluxia Prime’s primordial soup are the stoic Herclux the galaxy knows today. While modern humans have existed for some fifteen-thousand years, modern Herclux, according to disputed reports of homeworld history, have existed for over two hundred thousand years. ''Post Collapse '' Very little records are available amongst Human scholars, as well as Herclux intelligencia, as to what the state of the Combine was before the Eternal Darkness, as the Herclux call the Great Hyperspace Collapse. Therefore this brief will only consist of what is known about the Herclux history after Betelguese reignited hyperspace. ''1857-1888 – The Reunification and Birth of the Combine '' When Betelguese reignited hyperspace, the Herclux, scattered across four sectors of know space, began clawing their way to repair their broken empire. The first few years, system governments openly warred with one another over control of strategic planets and systems within the various sectors. Systems colonized by the same bloodlines allied and began surgically removing smaller houses that prevented greater unification of the Combine. These bloody years, according to Herclux records, ended in 1863, when the first sectorwide government was constituted in the Hercluxia sector, stationed on Hercluxia Prime. It was only a matter of time until the Hercluxia sector, by far the largest and most developed of the four, reasserted control over its various holdings. The Hercluxia central government joined forces with various system governments in Fenris, Primogeni and Vulcani to push the last vestiges of combined opposition out. By 1866, the Hercluxia central government, with the sudden help of the largest block of systems in the Fenris sector, the Fenris Triumvirate, displaced the last group of systems opposing what was now called the Greater Combine. The first Herclux emperor took the throne, a year later, constituting the united central authority of the Combine. The Emperor appointed system and sector governors that reported directly to him, and was smart enough to let the strong houses within the various sectors run their areas of space. The result of this system of government has left a resounding impact within the four “home” sectors. While today’s outer sectors are a mishmash of bloodlines from throughout the Combine, the home sectors are considered pure by the various Houses. The House Monsmastere is the prevailing ruling house, and subsequently the Emperor’s House, in the Hercluxia sector, while the Houses Remus, Vulcani and Fenris are the prevailing houses, and subsequently the head of system/sector governments, in Primogeni, Vulcani and Fenris sectors, respectively. Very little if any of the systems in the home sectors are heterogenous. At first glance, it was assumed that this setup formed a loose confederation of sectors. However, upon further study of Herclux historical records, the evolution of the Emperor as the unitary executive power became apparent by 1886. The Emperor today remains the sole voice of the Combine and appoints all planetary and sector governors, but continues to adhere to the tradition of appointing members from the various majority houses within the sectors. To that end, the Houses are given virtually total internal control over their affairs, save economic regulations, imperial edicts, military affairs, taxation and foreign diplomacy. Meanwhile, the Via Sanctus sector had evolved a much different culture due to its warp point connections with T’Sen and Antolin. The connections allowed its economy to flourish, relatively, during the period. The economic independence it accrued gave it considerable weight within the reestablished Combine. Not headed by any house but by a trading authority known as the Council of Trade Regulators (CTR), the Via Sanctus sector quickly became an economic boompoint within the Combine. The CTR quickly asserted its political capital by basically forcing the first Herclux Emperor to give it the ability to craft economic policy (think Federal Reserve with more power). Today, the CTR defacto runs the Herclux economy, while the Emperor focuses on political, military and foreign affairs. ''1889 -1910 – Manifest Destiny and the First Inquisition '' In 1889, the second Herclux Emperor, at the prodding of the Houses and the CTR, approved the first large scale expansion of the Combine into the Via Paganus, Via Gelus and Via Infernus sectors. Over a period twenty years, settlements were thrown up with uncanny haste throughout the sectors, paving the way for massive economic growth that followed in the next period of Herclux history. By this time, the Herclux had reestablished contact with the Sancordians, Sorensians and Visayans, and had established a trade treaty with the Khanate. As the Herclux moved to expand, so did the other powers within the general area. ''1910 – 1939 – The Aeon of Enlightenment '' The previous era’s massive colonization expenditure began to pay off in the early 1910’s. With new monies generated from the new colonies, the Herclux Combine began an expansive period in technology and military. Sources indicate that within the period, the Herclux military itself near tripled in size, and technology continued to outpace the Herclux ability to upgrade. The CTR continued its practice of moderately regulating the economy to make sure that hyperinflation did not occur with the booming economic growth rates. Little else is known about this period, other than reestablished contact with the Peregrines. ''1940 – 1945 – The Shifting Balance of Power and the First Sorensian Jihad In 1939, Khanate picket ships picked up a large Sorensian battlefleet entering Sancordian space. The Sorensians, perturbed at the Khanate’s expansion into Sorensian claimed sectors, had decided to force the issue and retake these now frontier sectors from the Khanate. The massive might of the Sorensian military swung in full at the Khanate, leaving devastation on a sector wide basis. The Khanate soon found itself in a protracted guerrilla conflict in its outer sectors and sent feelers out for military aid. Although the Combine and Khanate had improved trade relations and generally a friendly attitude towards another, it was quite a shock to the Sancordian Khan when his scouts reported to him that Herclux military vessels had boldy struck into Sorensian space on behalf of the Khanate. The Sancordian Khan, with what he knew of the Herclux, knew that to be a cold, calculating race, and for them to have taken such a drastic measure, he knew, that they felt threatened by the Sorensian interdiction into Khanate space. In truth, the Herclux Emperor felt that if the Combine stood around and watched the Sorensian’s invade the Khanate successfully, that the balance of power, somewhat steady for the last hundred years, would shift, and might indiciate a redefinition of galactic power. Knowing full well that an invasion of Sorensian space would anger them beyond reproach, the Emperor ordered the invasion. The Herclux best ships were sent sectors away and boldly struck at Sorensian holdings for a period of six months…until the Sorensian Grand Armada arrived. Desperately outnumbered, the Herclux forces retreated into Khanate territory. The Combine bolstered its defensive lines for the oncoming onslaught. In 1943, the Grand Armada arrived, and despite a valiant effort, the Herclux forces were swept aside by the fleet. However, in doing so, the Herclux had given the Khanate time to regroup and retake control of its frontier sectors bordering the Concordiat. The Khanate, to alleviate the Combine’s forward front against the Sorensians, began stricking supply lines, until 1944, when the Sorensians, for unknown reasons, approached both polities about a peace treaty. Herclux patriots see the war as a strategic victory, the first time that the younger great powers successfully stood up to the Sorensians and forcing them into a stalemate. 1945 – 2212 Little is known about the internal history of the Combine during this period. Externally however, the Combine continued its steady growth, gaining massive political capital from its stalemate with the Sorensian Concordiat. 2212-2218 - The Fifth Interstellar War See the entry regarding the Fifth Interstellar War for the Combine's history during this period. The only other items of note are the assassination of Commissioner Anthemus Balgarus, father to the current Empress Balgarus, rumored ordered by his brother, the Grand Inquisitor Seti Balgarus and the ascendion of Procyon Balgarus as Empress of the Combine. 2218 - Present After the stalemate of the war and subsequent signing of the Treaty of Sirius, the Empress Balgarus was forced to make several concessions to the military as public opinion at home soured on the armistice. Conservatives, having had their power eroded during the previous Emperor's rule and subsequently during the first years of the Empress Balgarus' rule, seized the opportunity, with the support of several high ranking officers, to take control of several sectors of the government, leaving a much less diplomatic (and far more enigmatic) Combine that was witnessed in years prior. According to an unknown source within the UN, “at least you know the Sancordians hate us. With the Herclux, those mysterious things, you have no idea what they want, who they are or what they are doing. All we know is that they are mad and have been very quiet for the past few decades. No one, not even the Sancordians, fully know what they've been up to." Economy/Territory Economic Summary Information Libertarian Imperium Initial GNP: $35,000.00 Tax Rate: 20% Initial Naval: $23,335.00 Initial Ground: $11,665.00 Territory Summary Information Core Sector – Hercluxia Prime (3 Major Systems) : • Hercluxia (Capital System) (Shipyards - 4 x Capital, 4 x Cruiser, 4 x Escort) : • Vaelas : • Zhao Colony Sector – Via Sanctus (1 Major System) - $7,000.00 : • Purifica (Sector Capital) (Shipyards - 3 x Capital, 4 x Cruiser, 4 x Escort) : • Wormhole Junction - links to Victory Station (Sorensia), Antolin (Khanate) Colony Sector – Fenris (1 Major System) : • Fenris (Sector Capital) (Shipyards - 2 x Cruiser, 2 x Escort) Colony Sector – Primogeni (1 Major System) : • Primogeni (Sector Capital) (Shipyards - 2 x Cruiser, 2 x Escort) Colony Sector – Via Paganus (1 Major System) : • Paganus (Sector Capital) Colony Sector – Vulcani (1 Major System) : • Vulcanus (Sector Capital) Colony Sector – Via Gelus (1 Major System) : • Gelus (Sector Capital) Colony Sector – Via Infernus (1 Major System) : • Nebuza (Sector Capital) Controlling Interest - 3525, 3526 Specific Sectors in Focus Sector: Hercluxia Systems Hercluxia The home system of the Herclux contains five planets, including one super Gas Giant, whose chlorine rich atmosphere as been used to terraform the other three planets, sans the Herclux primary homeworld, to Herclux normals. Hercluxia Prime, as its name indicates, is the first of five satellites that orbit a binary system of a red giant and white dwarf star. The planet orbits at a rate of one cycle (240 standard Earth months) and is millions of miles outsystem. The frigid, toxic homeworld of the Herclux race is an abnormally large and heavy gravity world that is the first planet within the Hercluxia system, named for the primary race that has inhabited it for countless milennia. The landscape of the planet consists mainly three large continents surrounded by a turquoise chlorine sea that birthed the original ancestors of the Herclux race. The three continents are almost fully covered by cities as the homeworld of the Herclux houses over thirty billion Herclux. The geography of the continents ranges from chlorine glaciers, where Hercluxia Prime's second largest lay, Gelu City to chlorine volcanos on the northern continent, which lays claim to Sulfuras, the only known city in the galaxy housed within an active volcano. The sea floors beneath the chlorine ocean also house considerably large cities. The city of Monsmastere, deep within the Trench of the Ancients, is home to the capital of the Herclux, some 30,000 feet below the the chlorine sea's surface. The city, near two hundred and ninety thousand years old, was built by the first Herclux emperor and carved out of the crystalline reef formations that are native to the trench. For those aliens, the few, that are invited to Monsmastere, it is truly a unique, beautiful site in the galaxy. Hercluxia Prime has four satellites in orbit around, of which only one is suitable for Herclux life. The other three maintain defensive weapons platforms and ECM jammers that blanket out all communications within the entire system, thus disallowing communications from enemy fleets that should try to entire the system. Hercluxia III is a Super Gas Giant, with measurements of almost triple the size of Sol's large Gas Giant, Jupiter. It is believe that Hercluxia II was once a satellite of the large planet, whose orbit was altered after a massive asteroid impacted the planetoid thousands of years ago. Hercluxia III houses the Combine's primary chlorine harvesting facilities and orbital scoop platforms, which trap the heavy amounts of chlorine found in the atmosphere for use in the terraforming process. The Trans Herclux Mining Association and the Herclux Mineral Control Board both operate large scale operations on the planet, and often vie for continued government contracts in the chlorine sector, which leds Hercluxia III's political importance to be major. Hercluxia III has in orbit a dozen smaller satellites, of only three have been terraformed for Herclux habitability. These three moons house small colonies of workers bound for harvesting operations on Hercluxia III. The other nine moons serve various other mining and support purposes, ranging from small defensive ground stations to ship refuel depots for the journey outsystem. Hercluxia IV was found to be in the same condition and ecology as Hercluxia Prime when colonized thousands of years ago by the First Combine Intrastellar Expedition. While much colder than Hercluxia Prime itself, its gravity and atmosphere are almost identical to that found on the Herclux homeworld. The planet has few lands masses of which only serve as transportation areas for orbital stations above the planet. Underneath the large layer of frozen chlorine found above the chlorine seas, houses the main Herclux population of the planet, estimated at almost two billion. Most of the cities, in deference to Monsmastere on the homeworld, were built in deep trenches out of the native coral found there. However, when the trenches became sprawling areas of life, the frontiersman began settling on open ocean floor, which left them open for attack from the primitive terrestrial sea dragons that prowled the chlorine seas. Over a period of years, Herclux frontiersman were able to domesticate the feral dragons for transportation needs between the large cities on the ocean floor. Today, Hercluxia IV serves as a tourist destination for many within the Combine, due to the large number of dragon cruises that are available that take Herclux citizens into unnavagable areas (by technology) of the deep ocean trenches. Not much is known about Hercluxia V from Herclux records, be it by choice or by mere forgetfulness. It is said to be terraformed planet in the likes of Hercluxia Prime, but it is so far outsystem as compared to the other planets, that little public alien travel occurs between the planets. Rumors from those that have visited the world view it as a type of wilderness planet that the Herclux have some type of special regard for. Others say that while most of the planet is accessable to non-Herclux, there are certain areas on the most southern continent, which is almost fully covered with mountains and volcanos, that are offlimits to non-Herclux. Various propositions by various alien races have mentioned the possibility that a historical site of great importance lies within the vectors of the volcano system, while others claim the supposed city, deep in the heart of the continent, is the actual capital of the Herclux, with Monsmastere on the homeworld being a ghost capital. Historical records, while scare, seem to indicate that some time thousands of years ago, the Herclux homesystem was threatened and that a decision was made to move the capital off the homeworld for security reasons. It is known, however, that Hercluxia V is encircled by major defense establishments, and maintains its own defense fleet. Vaelas The system of Vaelas, some twenty light years in proximity to the rimward border of the Hercluxia sector, was first surveyed seventy thousand years ago by the First Herclux Intersector Expedition. Primary scans indicated at first only one habitable planet within the system, the second planet in orbit around star much like that of the Terran's Sol Sector. Vaelas II was colonized immediately and is the site of the first interstellar colony in the Combine. Vaelas II's citizens, due to Vaelas' distance from Hercluxia Prime, developed an odd sub culture, based in part by their creation of a dialect of Serilou, the ancient Herclux tongue and the tropical ecology of the planet. Often jokingly called tropical Herclux by aliens that visit the planet, the denotation is not as different as one might expect. Vaelasians, as they at times call themselves, abandoned their aquatic settlements early on in their development, prefering to settled the vast and numerous continents that span the tropical world. Historical records indicate that Herclux biology, at the time Vaelas II was settled, could not handle the abnormally cold seasonal water temperatures that were present in Vaelas' oceans, and thus relocated their settlements to the warmer climates near the equator of the planet. Vaelasian's are considered odd at best in the Combine, because they often refuse to speak the official dialect of Serilou, instead insisted on speaking in their "broken tongue," as other Combine citizens call it. Despite the cultural differences that evolved, the Vaelasian Herclux remain staunchly loyal to their bloodlines. The planet is often a large tourist attraction throughout known space for its warm temperatures near the poles of the planet, often being called the Combine's version of the Bahamas on Earth, save that any travel beyond the extreme poles results in an exponential climb in temperature. Most Herclux balk at the destination, as they prefer much hotter climates, and thus Vaelas II does not see much internal tourism. Many alien embassies are located on this world, as it is among the few in the Combine that are conducive to the survival of other races. Vaelas V, during the First Expedition, was deemed unhabitable, because of the heavy mix of sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. Chlorine was one of only a few trace elements in the atmosphere when it was surveyed. After Vaelas II's successful colonization, Vaelasian citizens began looking at expanding their own influence within their system by creating their own colony. The first Vaelasian colony was setup on the northeastern continent of Erulas. The colony prospered for almost one hundred years, until a freak accident destroyed the dome protecting the city and poisoned the Herclux population. No original colonists were thought to have survived this massive disaster, which in turn near bankrupter the local Vaelasian government. Instead of reestablishing the colony, the Vaelasians focused on turning their economy around after the massive amounts of money spent on the failed colonial venture. One thousand years later, a conglomerate of businesses from the Hercluxia system established small terraforming faciliies through the world, and began widespread colonization twenty four years later, after the atmosphere was deemed suitable (if not minimal) to support Herclux life. Upon attempting to establish a colony on the abandoned continent of Erulas, where the first Vaelasian settlement existed, the colonists came into contact with the remnants of the failed Erulas colony, who has rebuilt their puncture dome. Eager to reestablish contact with their Vaelasian brethren, they were granted autonomous status from the central government on Hercluxia Prime, and to this day, despite over larger cities dotting the landscape of the planet, the continent of Erulas is considered autonomous territory whose government is based back on Vaelas II. Zhao The Zhao system was first discovered five years after colonization began in the Vaelas system. The system contains nine planets, of which all are settled. However, only two of them are worth mentioning in regards to importance to the Combine. Zhaoreth Prime, located in the Zhao system, on the coreward portion of the Hercluxia Sector, represents the largest and most successful “colony” world ever established by the Herclux. Zhaoreth was settled around the same time Vaelas II was colonized, however, due to the similiarities between Hercluxia Prime and Zhaoreth Prime, the latter was able to grow by leaps and bounds as compared to Vaelas II. The Zhao system’s close proximity to Hercluxia also provided for larger trade opportunities, faster commerce and in general a substantially larger base in which to expand. To date, Zhaoreth is the largest industrial world within the Combine, home to some of its largest commercial shipyards and corporations, due mainly to the fact that the Herclux long since ago designate this world a free trade area and taxation area, which further encourage its growth. Zhaoreth Prime is also the location of the important Szloa-mal’te-Kech (pronounced Schlo-a-mal-ti-kek), translated into Terran English as the Ziggurat of the Creator. According to few historical documents, the Creator mentioned in the phrase was born thousands of years ago, and was the founder of the Herclux religion. This planet receives billions of visitors annually from Herclux all around the Combine to pay their annual tithes to the Combinal churches. Sector: Primogeni Systems Primogeni Primogeni was one of the first systems colonized when Herclux exploration ships returned from what was initially dubbed Beta Sector. After much laboring by the system government in Primogeni, the sector was named after its namesake capital around two thousand years ago. Primogeni III was a barren world with a minimal atmosphere when the first colonies were established on it thousands of years ago. As technology progressed, the Herclux began strip mining the moon for various resources to establish a presence deeper outsystem, near the Vesuvian Asteroid Belt. As the minerals on the surface became depleted, Herclux miners design thermal boreholes that drilled directly to the core of the planet to increase the mining efficiency and production. After a few hundred years, the boreholes caused significant seismic damage and caused massive plate tectonic movement creating a field of volcanos whose numbers caused massive lavaflows that destroyed the entire colony. It wasn't until around five hundred years later that the Herclux reclaimed the planet, using atmospheric terraformers to help control the massive volcano system. After many hundreds of years of terraforming, a smaller version of Hercluxia Prime was created. Today, over two billion Herclux reside of Primogeni III. It is mainly a residential colony whose has little to no industrial value due to the massive strip mining years ago. Sector: Via Paganus Systems Paganus Paganus was first established as a Herclux protectorate two hundred years after the successful colonization of Vulcani sector. The jungle world was first used only as a military training center and supply depot for expeditions meant towards the coreward frontier; however, within the first few years of operation of Verackuss Station, located on the planet’s largest continent, Herclux scouts encountered a strange energy signature which indicated intelligence. The Herclux later found out that the planet was inhabited by a humanoid species of moderate development and intelligence. These sentients, best described as small, lithe pale Terrans, were abnormally gifted in telepathic and telekinetic endeavours, which caused both great hope and worry back home on Hercluxia Prime. Diplomatic feelers were extended to the native Tilagre (as they are now called), and they were officially welcomed into the Combine as the first client race. In the 1800th cycle, Paganus Out was officially annexed by the Combine, who officially granted the Tilagre citizenship within the Combine. The Tilagre have chosen to stay officially on their homeworld, despite offers to allow them substantial colonization funds through any sector within the Combine. It is believed by Herclux scientists that reasoning behind this the Tilagre themselves have simply made a choice to continue their existence on one planet, rather than officially expanding, Scientists attribute this to some type of cultural relevance to their homeworld. The Tilagre have proven time and again their worth to the Combine as excellent translators for Herclux diplomats and intelligence gatherers for the Combine, and while few in number away from their homeworld, they are commonly seen at most Herclux diplomatic stations throughout the galaxy. Sector: Via Gelus Systems Gelus One of the seedier places within the Combine, this pirate and miners paradise is home to some three hundre thousand sentients hailing from dozens of worlds through the galaxy. Under the direct contract given to them by the House of Remus, the Trans-Herclux Mining Association operates this colony with relative impunity from the central sector government based three systems away, so long as they continue to fulfill mining quotas set by the central Remusian government based on Hercluxia Prime. Located within the Gelu system, it is one of the largest mining colonies located with the Combine, and for that, despite all of its unpleasantness, leaves it fairly heavily defendend by a large immobile defense battlement near the mining's main operational platform. While very little Herclux ship presense remains in the sytem due to larger settlements within the sector, many mercenaries and their ilk make their home within this asteroid operation. The MCB (Mercenary Control Board), which governs mercenary activity and purchasing within the Herclux sectors of space is located on the defensive battlement. Mercenaries are allowed the operate freely about their business within this sector, and due to this, alot of illegal contraband and other such items make its way into the Herclux economy via this operation. It is said that many of the Combine's criminal masterminds make their home on this planet, and that anything can be bought here....for a price. Sector: Fenris Systems Fenris Fenris V houses the Imperial Ground Training Forces Headquarters as well as the Ig'Ti Imperial Fleet Shipyards and Training Sectors. This planet is one of the most heavily guarded through the entire Combine, with only the home planet of Hercluxia Prime, being more impregnable. Imperial Ground and Fleet Command is housed on Fenris V's primary satelitte, Wuria, a dense planet full of almost every environment imaginable, which necessitates proper training for ground troops through the Combine. During wartime, this planet acts as a primary staging area for Herclux fleet movements towards the Sorensian sectors. Technology High Performance Circuitry Improved Production Facilities Improved Engines Monitors Improved Terraforming Improved Genetic Engineering Advanced Improved Terraforming Category:Interstellar Polity Category:Herclux